


Trust

by mythicait



Series: One Piece Oneshots [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Pre-Canon, Secret Relationship, declarations of trust, tsundere crocodile
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 23:33:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20665637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mythicait/pseuds/mythicait
Summary: Tumblr prompt: How about a little One Piece with Crocodile and Robin? Let’s see how many uses that hook really has 😘For @the-devil-fruit-tree





	Trust

Robin shelved the latest book she had been reading before turning back to face her boss. Sprawled out behind his desk, Crocodile was speaking with Mr. 1 on the Den Den Mushi about their latest scheme.

Leaning against the bookshelf, Robin took a moment to study the man she had worked with for several years. He had just returned from a fight with some of the pirates he had placed in Alabasta and he looked surprisingly tired. Those fights almost never took any real effort from him so either these pirates had been more skilled than expected or something else was going on.

Finally, Crocodile hung up on Mr. 1 and let his head fall back. Scraping his hand over his face, he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. She knew he probably wouldn’t talk about what was going on so Robin wandered over until she could lean against his desk next to him.

Several moments passed in silence and Robin was about to give up and leave him to brood when gold flashed as he moved. Quick as a snake, his hook curved around her waist and Crocodile pulled her onto his lap. Robin let out a gasp at the sudden move but she settled quickly, relaxing against the man who rested his forehead on her shoulder.

“And what’s all this about?” Robin didn’t hide the amusement in her voice - Crocodile and his hook had long since stopped intimidating her.

“I think I’m getting too old for this.” Just a hint of plaintiveness entered his voice and this time Robin laughed out loud.

“Do your bones hurt, old man?”

Crocodile’s arms tightened around her. “It’s less me and more the headache I get when I have to deal with stupid, worthless young fools.”

Humming, Robin ran her fingers through his hair. He relaxed under her touch like a cat and she marveled yet again at the fact that this is what lay underneath his tough exterior. Of course, he was a ruthless bastard through and through - but he did have another layer that he had only ever let her see.

“Maybe you need to retire, then.”

“And let you take over Baroque Works?”

Robin let a sly note slip into her voice when she mused, “Well, I could redirect more resources to the poneglyphs…”

“You would also have to deal with idiots like Mr. 3.”

Laughing, Robin acquiesced. “I think I will leave that to you then.”

Pulling back so that he could look at her, Crocodile’s brows were drawn into a frown. “It has been easier with you here, though.”

“And why do you make that sound like a bad thing?”

He gave her an assessing look, taking in her cool regard and the amusement that still lingered. She was the only person who was allowed to laugh at him. “Not bad, just… unexpected.”

“You never expected to actually like me.”

“I never expected to trust you.”

Robin was quiet for a moment, taking in the words she had known were true but had never been said. For Crocodile, trust was as rare a feeling as it was for her. Perhaps it was appropriate, then, that they trusted each other when they couldn’t trust anyone else.

She leaned into him and pressed her forehead to his. “I guess we can continue this partnership a little while longer then.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, kudos, and especially commenting!
> 
> Feel free to visit me on tumblr @myfeyrelady!


End file.
